Saturnalia
by clarielparke
Summary: Entered for the Sokkla Saturdays and Free Write challenges. The first seven chapters are an attempt to keep within a 200 word limit. The Free Write ones will vary.
1. Fascination

_I see you, baby._

He'd been up with the sun each morning to watch her training practice in the Royal Sparring Grounds. So far, she'd never once acknowledged him. This morning was no exception.

The flashes of long limbs and blue flames against the backdrop of smooth green grass. Her body washed by bright red sunlight, a pure ode to fire.

One opponent after another incapacitated, carried off the training grounds. Pitiful losers.

The tiny beads of sweat pearling off her forehead and the back of her long neck. The bright sparkle of her yellow eyes. The way she'd stare into the sun, completely fearless, raising her sapphire flames to greet it. The secret smile on her full lips.

Oh, he needed to know the truth behind it.

Another volunteer opponent. The first female one.

 _No, Katara!_

The clash of fire and ice caused the Palace Grounds to reverberate.

As the two long fingers stabbed down, his sister slumped onto the chest of her opponent, unconscious.

Aang and Zuko were running down the marble stairs. He remained immobilized, staring down at what he'd sensed would happen.

She raised her bright gold eyes and flashed him a brilliant smile.

 _I see you, baby._


	2. Attraction

"Bone. How quaint."

She trailed her long fingers up the back of his neck to toy with the clasp of his necklace. Trust Azula to target the symbol of his Water Tribe heritage and ridicule it.

It didn't matter. The long slender fingers sent shivers down his spine. Her sharp nails travelled up into his hairline. He leaned back against her unconsciously.

"It's hard, yet supple, Princess. The surface is silky smooth. You won't know the advantages of it until you've tried it."

An incredulous laugh. She traced her finger underneath the necklace and moved to face him. There was a light blush on her cheeks.

"You think this is diamonds? That's a joke. I bet that…"

His hand closed on her wrist and tugged. His other arm came down to snake around her waist and pull her close. He really hadn't intended to, but-

 _Never tease a Water Tribesman, honey. You'll have to follow through._

A gasp as she sensed his hardon through their clothes. His hand moved down to press her tighter to him.

Her yellow eyes widened. A hiss in his ear.

"Sokka! We're in the middle of the dance floor! Everyone can see-"

"Mm. That's perfect."

His lips came down on hers.


	3. Confidence

Behind his desk, the Fire Lord was pacing.

"I don't think you fully understand the gravity of the situation here, Sokka! Ever since Azula's return, Aang and I have had to watch her like hawks to ensure she doesn't cause havoc. Spirits! Don't you have any sense of self-preservation?"

The Water Tribesman ran his hand over his wolf's tail and grinned.

"Oh, so far she's been pretty friendly. Can't say I've had that much to complain about."

Zuko's eyes bulged. "I absolutely forbid you to go near her, Sokka! Hands off! I mean, that's my flesh and blood we're talking about. Now that she's recovered, I can't have her…"

"Consorting with peasants?" Sokka smiled pleasantly. "Why, the two of you are more alike than I thought. Except these five years have done Azula a world of good. She's lost her snobbery. Seems the reverse has happened to you, though."

The Fire Lord blushed. His fists tightened.

"What are your intentions here, Sokka? Our family can't take any more scandals. As long as I'm Fire Lord, there will be no Royal bastards."

A breezy smile. "Oh, there's contraceptive tea these days."

He winked. "Unless you'd like me as a brother-in-law, of course. I'm game."


	4. Scar

He hadn't really thought that it would happen.

Yet here she was, spasming underneath him, arched up with her nipples grazing him like sharp red thorns. He kept thrusting deeply into her, moving to the rhythm of an ancient drum. A bloodbeat that echoed from her heart to his. Her long legs wrapped around his waist, the hot sleek walls of her cunt clutching him as tightly as a glove. Hot juices seeped onto his thighs. He kept thrusting into her, caught up in mindless frenzy.

She was moaning in his ear, nibbling his neck with sharp teeth. Her long nails raked his back like daggers. The pain just kept him fired up. He was wrestling with a wild predator, trying to control her while at the same time realizing the transformation that she wrought in him. Azula was bringing out the wolf.

He twisted to catch her long neck between his teeth and bit down, marking her as his property. His cock kept pounding into her, attempting to expand, to enter ever further. Conquering the Fire Nation. Holding her locked by an arm underneath the small of her back, he laughed like crazy. The fire scorched his mind. The beast rose and howled.

The scar was too deep to be erased.


	5. Muse

"Spirits! What's that miserable wailing? Is someone being assassinated in the Palace Grounds?"

Azula hurried towards the tall windows leading to the balcony. Wrapping a red silk robe with gold borders around her, she tied the sash tightly at the waist. Her maidservant Zura followed with a worried look.

"It sounds like… singing, Princess?"

Azula flung the windows open to step onto the balcony. Her yellow eyes widened significantly. The full moon bathed the single figure below in bright blue white light.

 _Delicious as a sea prune_

 _Spicy like chile pepper_

 _She tickles my palate_

 _My ocean kumquat, hiding in the depths of my heart_

 _Oh, she's my cactus juice, I need to taste her every day and night_

 _My fire lily flytrap_

 _She's got me sucked right in_

 _Like a dolphin piranha, she just swallowed me up_

 _Beautiful dragon, come fly me to heaven tonight_

 _Oh, she's my cactus juice, I need to taste her every day and night_

The bolt of lightning barely missed the singer's ear.

"Sokka, you idiot! Stop that! You're waking the whole Palace."

He stared hopefully at her. "Can I come up?"

"Yes! Just don't try to scale the walls. Use the stairs like a normal person."

He grinned. "Yes, Princess!"


	6. Question

The plump pillows provided comfortable support for his head. So did the soft covers underneath the brocade bedspread. Tucking his arms behind his head, Sokka frowned. Clearly, undressing hadn't had the desired effect. Azula was fully clothed, leaning back against her desk, arms crossed tightly beneath her breasts.

He opened his mouth to invite her in. She stared intently down into the carpet with a tiny frown, oblivious. Unlike Zuko, she never paced when something bothered her. Instead, she coiled up tight. With a deep sigh, he relaxed on her bed and waited for her to spring whatever it was on him.

"You know Sokka, I've been thinking, and it really seems the only viable solution." Her eyes locked fiercely on the carpet pattern.

"Zuko is clearly worried we'll create a scandal. Everyone wants to avoid launching another Hundred Year War. As long as there's no formal alliance between our nations, the risk remains. Yes. From a political perspective, it's the only sound solution."

He waited. A light blush tinted her cheeks.

"I mean, that way we could be together whenever we want to. I'd be able to stop drinking that wretched tea. Your father could rest assured we won't invade."

Eyes met. Blue ones widened in wonder.

"Azula! Are you asking me to marry you?"


	7. Dream

Darkness.

Ice.

The spirits are howling, twirling like eddies. Voices.

I can't see the horizon, but I sense it's there. A minute glimpse of light in the cold darkness.

In my heart, I pray to the Sun to show its face.

 _Oh Agni!_

My arms are breaking, ripping right out of their sockets. If I let go, he'll fall.

He grabs at my upper arms, staring desperately at me with blue eyes. My nails and fingers dig into his jacket. I see the pleading in his gaze.

 _Azula, please!_

The edge of the icy precipice cuts into my chest. My arms will dislocate or tear right off.

He's begging me to either let go and save myself, or to save his life. I'm not sure which. The howling in my ears increases.

 _No!_

I will not let them win.

Gauging a foothold by means of the blue flames sprouting from my feet, I anchor myself to the glacier and pull. I pull with all my might, hauling him up.

He collapses into my arms, cradles me tight, kisses my neck.

"Azula…"

I open my eyes. The cone shape of the Water Tribe hut hugs us. Tiny flames flicker in the furnace.

"I had a nightmare." He wraps his limbs around me like a child.

I kiss him.

"It's all right, Sokka. I'm here. I'll always be here."


	8. Bow

"And just how is this supposed to make him obey me? He might as well attempt to snap my fingers off."

Sokka flashed her a quick smile. "Wolf cubs love seal meat, Princess. Just move the sliver around a bit. Watch his response."

Azula shook her dark head. "I clearly said goodbye to my sanity in agreeing to accompany you here. Not only am I freezing my ass off, surrounded by desolate fields of ice. Now you've gifted me with this little hellcub of a creature. Well thank you, husband to be! Please let me remind you that I've still got time to reconsider my decision."

He pressed up behind her to caress her hips. "I know how to heat you up. Every part of you."

"Don't I know it."

Frowning, she focused on the furry creature before her, moving the slice of meat in her dainty fingers. A sudden twirl, and…

"Ah!" An incredulous laugh as the tiny wolf cub jumped up, did a perfect bow and landed at her feet. Azula's yellow eyes lit up in bright astonishment.

Sokka reached out to embrace his bride to be from behind. His breath was warm on her neck.

"Now, feed him the meat. He was a very good boy. You need to reward him."

She offered the red slice to the tiny furry creature. ""His name's Sozin. We already agreed on that, right?"

He giggled in her ear. "All right, Azula. Whatever you say. He's my betrothal gift to you. Your own personal Southern Water Tribe pet."

A wry smirk. "I thought the name of my private pet was Sokka."

He swung her around to gaze down at her. The tightfitting coat, a combination of red Fire Nation cloth and white Polar leopard skin, suited her perfectly. The red bloodstone pendant of the betrothal necklace that he'd carved painstakingly for her gleamed between her collarbones.

"Ok, Princess. Just don't forget to replenish my father's supply of fire flakes. I fear the old man's getting addicted to them. As am I."

He pulled her in for a long kiss. She melted into it, creating a heat that thawed the snow around them. Spirits, he needed to get her back home this instant. She-

"Ow!" The sharp bite nicked his shin.

The tiny wolf cub was jumping excitedly around them, nibbling at any part of Sokka that it could reach. Azula leaned down to pull a sliver of meat out of the pouch at his waist to feed the furry little beast.

"It's all right, Sokka. You just don't understand these things. You can't allow a Fire Nation creature to get hungry. It will attack. Feed us when we're famished, and we'll bow down to you. By the way, don't tell your father I said that."

She shot him a wicked smile and clasped his arm to pull him back to the Water Tribe village. Sozin followed in their tracks, yipping happily. The arctic sun stayed put, gilding their disappearing backs.


	9. Memory

"Listen Katara, I seriously don't remember where I put it."

Shaking his head helplessly, Sokka rifled through the unpacked contents of his luggage. His sister's blue eyes shot slivers of pure ice.

"Don't lie to me! You said there was a letter! You said he sent it along and asked you specifically to deliver it to me!"

He shrugged helplessly. "I know, Katara! I'm sure I packed it safely. I even wrapped it up in a sealskin container."

She glowered at him, arms akimbo. Oh, he recognized that look, enough to back off cautiously.

"Now Katara, surely you wouldn't waterbend inside my hut? I mean, it would take weeks to repair it. I might even have to build a new one…"

She raised her hands threateningly. "Don't try me, Sokka! Besides, I'm considering freezing you into a block of ice instead. How'd you like to spend supper that way, huh? Not that easy to wolf down meat in that condition!"

He frowned, backing off further. "You know Katara, I'm pretty sure Azula would unfreeze me in an instant. She knows how to heat me up properly." He couldn't help but grin.

His sister shook her head in frustration. "Spare me the details, Sokka! Really, this foolish relationship of yours will be your undoing. You just allowed a crazy Firebender to move into our midst. Well, don't worry! I'm watching her day and night!"

"Uh, you watch us at night, Katara? I'm sure that's fun for you, being a spinster and all. But don't you need your sleep? You must be getting tired…"

The sharp icicle flew through the air to shatter against the wall.

"Spare me your obscene jokes, brother! In case you don't understand, this is a serious matter! Now, pull yourself together and find me the Fire Lord's letter!"

"You've got no sense of humour, you know that, Katara?"

Ducking the second icicle nimbly, Sokka brushed the ice shards from his wolf's tail. A second search of his unpacked luggage. Shaking his head in confusion, he proceeded to go through the rest of his belongings. This search proved as futile as the first.

"It's not here, Katara! Maybe Sozin nicked it. He might have mistaken the container for his sealskin toy. Not that they're that similar, but… What's so damn important about that letter, anyway? I'm sure if Zuko had some crucial message, he'd tell me in person! Is this about his planning to get engaged?"

His sister blushed an unexpected bright scarlet. "That's just hearsay, Sokka! He and Mai have broken up. If you must know, this letter may contain important secrets of state! Why, Zuko and I have an ongoing correspondence about these things! Now, find me that letter! I swear Sokka, you have the memory span of a cuttlefish!"

He frowned. "Uh, you know Katara, I'm pretty sure that Zuko's back with Mai. Did you ask him for instructions on how to handle…"

The hut door flew open to emit a gust of… not icy air. Heat and radiance. The black haired young woman made her entrance, removing the hood of her red coat. The tiny wolf cub followed, dancing around her feet.

Sokka's eyes lit up at the sight. "Why Azula! There you are! Katara just dropped by to ask about some letter that your brother asked me to give her."

The yellow eyes lit up with bright gold amusement. A wicked smirk. Azula pulled a small parchment scroll out of a fur edged pocket.

"Looking for this, by any chance? It did bear the Fire Lord's seal, so of course I inferred it was for me."

Katara's blue eyes widened significantly.

"Did you read my letter!? Why, you…!"

A blue flame appeared in Azula's other hand. The smirk deepened. The flame approached the scroll.

"Come and get it."


	10. Song

" _And when the fire lily dies_

 _The shades of petals clothe the night"_

Thunderous silence. At the endnote, the young woman flashed her stricken audience a brief but brilliant smile. With a little bow, she turned to resume her place at the side of her betrothed. Or would have, if his father hadn't intercepted by rising to clap his hands and address her in a booming voice.

"That was just beautiful! Come here, Azula! Let me embrace you, daughter!"

As Chief Hakoda pulled her down onto his lap, Azula shot him a tiny smirk. The combo of ale and fire flakes wasn't a particularly lucky one, even when downed with huge amounts of seal meat.

 _Well. If we had known that Water Tribesmen have a taste for Fire Nation women, we would have taken them down easily five years ago. Oh well. I guess it's too late for that now._

Applause was breaking out all around them. Chief Hakoda was patting his future daughter in law's arm, eyes straying a little bit too frequently down to her prominent cleavage.

"Azula, I swear you have the singing voice of a magical spirit! Before, I thought my son was very lucky to have caught the Fire Nation Princess. Now, I realize that his true catch is you."

Azula pushed the bowl of fire flakes towards him and slipped out of his grasp to seat herself in the place next to him. All around the long twin tables, Southern Water Tribe warriors, male and female, along with their offspring, ate and drank and joked. Azula stared in fascination at the barbarous display.

"This banquet is a very… ah, _lavish_ gesture of welcome, Chief Hakoda."

The Chief gestured magnanimously, munching his fire flakes.

"Nothing but the best for you, Azula! Nothing but the best."

"Well, as you know Zuzu… That is, the Fire Lord, my brother, has set the date of the wedding to three weeks from now. As Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, I expect you'll lead the South Pole delegation at Capital City. The wedding's set to take place at the Temple of Agni."

The Chief stopped munching. An icy gleam appeared in his blue eyes.

"Yes, Azula. Of course. Except we have a ceremony planned for the two of you here, as well."

Her large golden eyes widened. Then, she checked her breathing expertly. "A ceremony, Chief Hakoda? For Sokka and me? Why, I'm sure that it will mean the world to him."

The blue eyes narrowed. "A Water Tribe shaman ceremony, Azula. My mother will lead it. It's necessary to call the spirits of the elders down to cement your marriage to my son. The union of Fire and Water isn't one to be taken lightly."

"No. No, of course not." Her eyes strayed distractedly to the left side of the table, where the Chief's daughter was perusing a slightly charred piece of parchment for the umpteenth time. A light flush coloured her dusky cheeks. Azula shook her head at the sight. Considering the shockingly neutral tones of her brother's letter, there really was no way the Waterbender could interpret it as anything other than the message of a friend. Except the shine in Katara's eyes told quite another story.

 _Ha._ So, her hypothesis had proved to be true. Azula's smirk deepened. Meeting her betrothed's eyes, she felt momentarily breathless. He winked at her. And then he rose.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Fellow members of the Southern Water Tribe! I'd like to dedicate this song to my betrothed, the incomparable Princess Azula. It's called "She's my cactus juice".

Azula blanched significantly and reached out to grasp Chief Hakoda's arm for support.

"Oh no."

The Chief shot his Fire Nation daughter in law to be a benevolent glance.

"But oh, yes! Sokka's famous for his singing voice and lyrical talent. Now, let's sit back and enjoy his singing, shall we?"

She nodded as if hypnotized, a stricken look on her face. At the opposite side of the table, the young Water Tribe warrior directed a cheeky smile at her. And then, he opened his mouth.


	11. Wine

The floor of the Water Tribe hut was covered by tanned hides painted in schamanic signs. The walls were draped in the same kind of hides, along with crudely woven tapestries in shades of blue ornamented with white and various bright colours. At the far right was a wide cot or berth covered in thick plush pelts. Surrounding the walls were drums and bells and various utensils, all of which looked ancient and handmade. Coming to a halt at the dead centre of the room, Azula turned to the old woman. The alien environment caused her yellow eyes to flash and her hands to itch instinctively.

"Now what, Kanna?" She forced herself to use the old woman's name to show respect. Of course, she'd never heard Sokka refer to her by any other moniker than "Gran Gran".

The woman indicated the sealskin and polar leopard pelts. The wrinkled brown countenance regarded her without expression. "Welcome to my humble abode, Princess. Seat yourself. I'll get us both something to drink."

Crossing her legs, Azula sat down on the soft white pelt of some polar creature. The heat of the hut was unusual, oppressive even. Staring into the fireplace, she attempted to draw strength in order to counter her growing uncertainty.

 _I promised Sokka to accept her invitation. But this old bitch clearly hates Firebenders. There's an odd smell in the air. Is that incense?_

"The smell of memories. Of times gone by."

The old Water Tribe woman neither gave the impression of frailty nor of old age. Rather, she was tall and wiry, and looked deceptively strong and able bodied. She wore a long simple sky blue dress with a knee length, sleeveless dark brown leather tunic edged in fur and belted tightly at the waist. Azula's keen eyes didn't miss the tools and weapons dangling from it. The woman's hair was an impressively thick and long mixture of salt and pepper, her skin a dusky wrinkled brown and her eyes a shockingly bright azure blue.

 _Fuck. I wish that she'd sit down. What if she tries to pull a dagger on me? I'd be a sitting duck. Except…_

Azula twirled her hands, flexing her fingers lightly. Across from her, the central fire responded. Flickering, dancing in tune with her movements, the flames turned a perfect azure blue. The old woman started.

"Oh. That's impressive. He told me you could do that, but I said that seeing is believing."

"You're Water Tribe. Yet you need fire to survive." The words left her lips unintentionally.

The old woman approached her, a bone beaker in her hand.

"This is true, Princess. The Fire Nation's cost us dearly. Now, we need a tribute."

Even as she accepted the beaker, Azula's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean me?"

The weather-bitten lips curled slightly. She wouldn't have called it a smile.

"You may interpret that as you wish, Princess. My grandson's no prodigy, but he's always been the smartest member of our family. I've always known that his choice of a bride would be significant. Now, please finish your wine. It is of crucial importance to the ritual."

Azula's palms and fingers were itching. A surefire sign of danger, of her flames and lightning wanting to unleash. Then again, she'd rather die than be a coward. Tilting her head back decisively, she drained the contents of the bone cup in one long gulp.

 _Hm. Not bad. Kind of fruity, tangy, sweetish…_

Frowning, she stared down at the empty beaker. "That didn't taste at all like rice wine. What's this?" She tensed as if to rise, yellow eyes huge and flashing sparks.

The old woman made an apologetic little gesture. "Oh, it's my special brand of wine. Sokka loves it particularly much. Don't be afraid, my lovely one. Fear isn't becoming in a Fire Nation Princess."

Her voice reverberated with an odd echo in Azula's mind. Rainbow coloured strings swirled briefly before her vision.

 _Oh no. Oh shit. She drugged me._

Fear rose like a dragon.

Voices were whispering and screeching in her ears. Horrible images flashed before her eyes. Images of impending annihilation, of being chained to a metal grate. Of only being able to keep herself together by breathing her blue fire. Of fighting to survive, the only way that she knew how.

Shocked, she strove to regulate her breathing. To empty her mind and push the images away.

 _This isn't real, Azula! It isn't real. It's all in your mind._

Soft flute music piped up in her ears. A beautiful tune. A friendly hand reached out to tug her away from the terror. Part of Azula panicked and fluttered like a sparrow.

 _Don't worry. You know how to ride this. You know what it felt like to split into a myriad parts, and you know whom to trust. Go with your gut. Don't listen to the voices. Walk right through it._

The old woman had her back turned to Azula as she examined the contents of an ancient looking wicker basket.

 _Where's that voice coming from?_

Azula fell back on the pelts. The hut was expanding and contracting endlessly in her vision.

The old Water Tribe woman approached her, a lit stick of incense in her hands. Seeing the tears streaming down the pale smooth cheeks, she leaned in to wipe them off with a gnarled brown thumb.

 _There. That's good. Now, tell me where it hurts._

The trill of laughter climbed the hut walls and rebounded.

"Here, usually." Azula touched the area of her heart.

"Before, it used to hurt here." She reached up with both hands to indicate her temples. "But I learned to deal with it. It was a painful healing, but it worked."

The old woman was circling her, waving her incense sticks.

 _You had a breakdown. Momentarily, you were what people here would deem insane. In our practice, we say that the spirit is unable to conform to its own shape. Once the reconfiguring process is complete, you're back to functioning normally._

Blue. Red. Yellow. Green. Purple. Colours swirled and flashed in her mind. Wild entities were surrounding her, holding hands and chanting. Azula stared into the peak of the hut. Above, a single star had appeared to shine down on her, endlessly far away. It beckoned to her, calling her up and away.

 _Sometimes, I wish that I could go. Just leave. Is that wrong?_

The Water Tribe shamaness stopped to kneel next to her. Waving the incense in one hand, she shook some kind of wooden instrument rhythmically with the other.

 _You can't leave this world yet, Azula! You can't escape into the spirit realm. There are tasks for you here. Don't leave them uncompleted._

The shamaness reached out to tap her forehead sharply.

The pure force of the blow hurled Azula back to face every single moment of her life at rapid speed. Unable to check herself, she raced back through the minds and fates of all her Fire Nation ancestors. Tumbling wildly through the dimensions, she sensed the visions racing through her bones.

The tiny ball that was Azula stopped twirling. She looked around herself in wonder. Oh, that place. She knew it at the core of her heart. Smiling, she fell back against the silky soft white pelts.

The entry of the hut burst open. It took the young man a few seconds to understand the gist of the scene before him. Striding angrily into the hut, he leaned down to grab and smell the bone beaker.

"Gran Gran! Did you serve Azula cactus juice? Why, what the fuck! I asked you to invite her over here so that the two of you could get acquainted! Not for you to pull some kind of weird tribe magic on her! I swear, I'll never let her visit you again."

He leaned down to lift his prostrate beloved in his arms, hugging her close to his heart. Tiny kisses rained down on her sweat soaked brow. The huge yellow eyes stared out into nothingness.

"Azula, please! Look at me! It's Sokka! Please look at me!"

The old Water Tribe shamaness nodded sagely.

"She passed the test, Sokka. She'll make you a good wife, but a troublesome one. The spirits say that she'll bear you at least six children. Watch out for her ambitious streak. Now, go. I'm an old woman and I need my rest."

"What!? You mean you did it to test her? Do you even realize the full extent of the damage that you could have done to her!? She may look strong, but…"

"Sokka? Azula's eyes focused on his face. It was like staring down into black holes. A long slender hand sneaked up to caress his cheek.

"Yes! Azula, are you all right? I mean, you probably need to drink lots of water. And some mango juice. Don't worry, my love! You'll be back to normal in… well, a few hours. Or tomorrow at the very least."

She clung to him with a brilliant smile. "Yes, Sokka! Please take me home! Is there a star at the peak of your hut ceiling as well?"


	12. Lips

"What do you mean, you can't whistle?" Sokka frowned.

Azula sighed exaggeratedly. "Surely you're not deaf as well as a blockhead? I. Can't. Whistle. Mother thought it was unladylike, so I was never allowed to learn it. It was severely frowned upon at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. Li and Lo abhorred it. I wasn't allowed to learn it, and so I didn't. And neither did anyone I know. Except Ty Lee, of course, but she's hardly a lady."

Sokka threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Ha ha ha! That's the funniest thing I ever heard! The Fire Nation Princess, famous prodigy, can't whistle! Oh, that's priceless."

He slapped his knee and hollered with glee. Azula regarded her betrothed with flaming cheeks. Blue fire appeared in her hands. She raised them threateningly.

"Keep that up, and I'll really give you something to holler about!"

Sokka wiped tears of laughter out of his eyes. "I… I… Oh, I'm sorry, Azula. It's just that… ah, ha…"

A flash of lightning from the amber eyes. He checked himself hastily and swallowed in an attempt at gravity. Instead, he rose.

"Ok, Princess. You can't whistle. Well, I'm a great teacher to the needy. Now, watch and learn."

Pushing two fingers in between his lips, he blew forcefully, producing a sharp screeching noise. The tiny wolf cub, who'd been sleeping peacefully in its wicker basket, prickled its ears and bounced out to start running around in a frenzy of yipping.

Azula grimaced in disgust. "Why, that looks perfectly obscene! No wonder I was forbidden to learn it. And now look what you've done! When he's in that state, he won't stop barking until we all go out to play fetch in the snow."

"So, we'll go out and play, Azula! After you've learned to whistle, I mean."

She shook her head. "I absolutely refuse to learn to wolf-whistle. In fact, I rather thought you meant the other kind of whistling. You know, the one where you make tiny melodies. Kind of like birdsong."

"Like this?" Sokka pursed his lips together to produce a chirping sound. Happy notes reminiscent of Fire Nation springtime rose towards the ceiling of the hut.

Azula nodded slowly. "Yes. That's much better. In fact, it's rather easy on the ears. I think I like it. All right, snow savage. You may teach me how to whistle like a bird."

"Ok, Princess. It's real easy. You just put your lips together. Like this." Sokka pursed his lips. "You just put your lips together and blow."

Their eyes met. A spark of understanding passed between them.

Azula grinned. "All right, Sokka. I think I can manage that."


	13. Reveal

"So, that's the sum total of my previous relationships. My first girlfriend turned into the moon. The second one… Well, she probably hates my guts for breaking up with her. Unless playing at being Zuko's personal guard proves to be too much of a distraction." He shrugged.

An incredulous stare from large yellow eyes. "Oh, _come on_ , Sokka! That painted bitch is way too bland for you! I've crossed paths with her before, remember? Pretty, but with the personality of a wooden board. Utterly insipid. You're way out of her league!"

Sokka blushed unaccountably. "Well, if you're considering intellectual capacity, I suppose you're right!"

Azula backhanded him lightly across the ear. "No false modesty for my Water Tribe husband, eh? Well, considering that we just went through that ridiculously quaint ceremony with your witchy grandmother as officiant, I suppose that in these frozen backwaters we are what's considered husband and wife. That's why we're having this little chat, Sokka! If you think I buy into the whole I-was-a–virgin-until-I-met-my-last girlfriend crap, then you don't know your wife at all, peasant!"

In spite of the joking tone, there was a dangerous glow in her golden eyes.

"Well, uh, there might have been a couple of other girls… One or two… I mean, purely on the basis of physical needs. You know Azula, even doctors state that it isn't healthy for young people in their prime to remain celibate. It's just detrimental for both your physical and mental health."

The moment the words left his mouth, he could have slapped himself.

Azula regarded him steadily. Her pale oval face was a mask of studied neutrality. A tiny shrug.

"Oh. Ok. Then it's lucky that once I had regained my sanity, I decided to reinforce it as best I could."

He gasped. "You _what!_ "

A tiny shrug and a smirk. A certain spark lit up those gorgeous firebender eyes. "Oh, Sokka. I think you know what I mean."

He floundered on a sea of…. Was that _jealousy_? Oh, no. This was the kind of drama that Zuko thrived on. Sokka, on the other hand…

"Well, of course I knew you weren't a virgin when we… I mean, the… The first time we _had sex_ , Azula! I realized you had some experience. But I just thought it didn't matter! I mean, the most important thing was _us_ , the way we made each other feel. I mean… Oh spirits, Azula! It wasn't Zuko, was it? If it was, I'd… I'd probably have to challenge him to a… Well, to an Agni Kai or something!"

Azula leaned back against the plush red Fire Nation pillows and laughed, baring her white throat. The laugh was long and hearty, coming from her gut.

"Oh… Oh, but Sokka! You mean this has been bothering you? Why, I had no idea! My poor dear little snow savage! No, oh no! Please, let me set your heart at ease. Zuko and I only ever used to make out. You know, like siblings do. He never quite got around to being my first. Though it did get pretty close…" She gazed out into open space, a distant look on her oval face.

Sokka stared at her, appalled. " _Like siblings do!?_ What the fuck are you talking about, Azula? Katara and I certainly never did that kind of thing! It would never even cross our minds to… ew!"

Azula shrugged nonchalantly and cocked an eyebrow at him. "No? Well, I imagine sister dear is way too much of a prude to appreciate that kind of disgusting physical stuff. I really can't blame Aang for breaking up with her. He's so much better off with Toph."

Sokka shook his head as if to clear it. "So, let me get this straight, Azula? You and Zuko grew up together, and used to… make out. You didn't go quite as far as to actually seal the deal. Am I correct so far?"

His firebender wife nodded. "Yes. I assume we would have, except Zuzu ran off and betrayed the Fire Nation with the lot of you. Talk about timely exits."

"So… So who was your first? I mean, I assume it wasn't… That you didn't let…" Words failed him.

A tiny frown appeared on Azula's smooth brow. "What are you implying, Sokka? Kindly leave my father out of this. He and I have never had that kind of relationship."

He started at the sharp tone. Reaching out, he cradled Azula in his arms and rolled onto his back, pulling her with him.

"Look, Azula! You mustn't ever doubt I love you. It's just that… Well, I just never know what to expect with you! You're just playing in this league entirely your own. If I want to play along, I feel I need to know all about you. It doesn't do to assume things. I just have to ask. You don't mind, do you? Honey?"

She shrugged. "I guess not. We do after all come from widely different backgrounds. As for my experience in physical matters… Well Sokka, the Ember Island Mental Health Facility is like a world unto its own. Hundreds of people pass through it every year, patients and employees. Of course, occasionally attraction strikes. Once I was well enough to recognize myself, I realized that I needed… Well, call it what you like. A case of curiosity. The need to make a clean break with the rules of living that I grew up with. Realizing that people didn't fear or hate me, but were attracted to me instead. That I had found a way of obliterating the memories by means of a whole new world of sensations and experiences. It really did me a world of good."

"Who were they, Azula? Do you… Do you miss any of them?"

A tiny grimace. "Some questions are better not asked, Sokka! I mean, I don't particularly relish hearing about Miss Moon or Miss Fan. I know you've had others, and that's quite all right. I only wanted to know if you ever considered marrying either of them. That's why I asked you in the first place. And if you're wondering, the answer's no. After I was discharged, I never once considered contacting any of them. I just don't see the point."

Sokka traced the smooth white skin of her neck with his fingertips, just above the satin band of the betrothal choker. As he leaned in over her, his heart was beating painfully hard.

"You know I love you, don't you, Azula? I… I never felt like this for anyone before. I just want you to know that."

A minute start went through her. She hid the inadvertent smile by burying her face in the crook of his neck. Reaching down, she untied the gold sash of her red silk, dragon printed robe and slipped out of it effortlessly. Long bare pale arms went up to circle Sokka's neck. He stared down at her naked body, spellbound.

"You can have all of me, Sokka. Inside and out. I just need to know that you accept what you see. That you can take me for who I am and still love me."

A deep breath. "Azula, I've _always s_ een you for who you are. Before, when we were enemies, it used to cause me so much trouble. Because whenever I saw you, I knew."

"You knew?"

"Yes. I knew that I was looking at the love of my life."


	14. Crown

"Missing? You mean somebody stole it?" Azula's winged eyebrows sharpened into a frown.

The Fire Lord paced agitatedly behind Fire Lord Sozin's antique desk. His black half topknot was conspicuously lacking in adornment.

"Stole it, misplaced it, fucking melted it into an ingot? I've no idea, Azula! After that tiny incident with Hawky II, I had it sent to the Royal Goldsmith's for repair. Evidently it needed cleaning and polishing anyway. So, I've been using Roku's old hairpiece as replacement. But now, the Fire Sages are demanding that I wear the Phoenix Crown for the wedding ceremony. Great Sage Shyu even went as far as to state that unless I presided over the ceremony under full assumption of my Royal status, the wedding would have to be postponed."

Azula's yellow eyes flared up with lethal fire. "You can't be serious, Zuzu! The Sages are refusing to go through with my wedding unless you're present, wearing your insignia? But it's _my_ wedding, not yours! How dare they defy our Royal authority this way! All right. If you're too soft to show Great Sage Shyu who's the real ruler of this nation, I'll step in. I'll show him what happens to those that defy the Royal Family. The wedding's on tomorrow as planned, Phoenix Crown or not!"

She turned decisively on her heel and headed for the door.

"Hey, wait up, Azula! What are you planning to do?" Zuko emerged from behind his ancestor's desk, his face a mask of worry.

She didn't even turn to look at him. As Zuko reached out to grab her arm and spin her around, the grim determination on her face shook him to the core.

"What do you think I'm doing, Zuko? I'm going over to the Temple of Agni to have a little chat with Great Sage Shyu. I'm sure that I'll be able to make him see reason. If not, I'll incinerate him to a crisp. On the Temple stairs, if need be. You know Zuko, in the old days there used to be human sacrifices to Agni. Maybe it's time to revive that old tradition."

The door opened to emit a tall, muscular young Water Tribe warrior. Behind him, the Fire Lord's Major Domo Shu Lee appeared, attempting desperately to edge in first.

"Fire Lord Zuko, I'm sorry! Lord Sokka insisted on entering before I could announce him properly! I told him that you and Princess Azula were in a private meeting on a serious issue, but he just wouldn't sit down and wait according to procedure."

The Water Tribesman reached out to pat the older man's liveried shoulder. "That's all right, Shu Lee! Calm down, ok? Princess Azula's my betrothed. Hey, according to Water Tribe customs, she's already my wife, and Fire Lord Zuko's my brother in law. No need to be so formal. I'm just taking my wife for an airship tour of Capital City. That would be fun, right A-"

His voice trailed off as he came face to face with his beloved. The lethal yellow gleam in her eyes, the pale and frozen face… And right behind her, Zuko tugging at her arm as if attempting to restrain her…

"Uh oh. Looks like bad timing on my part, right? I guess on second thought we'd better postpone that airship ride. What happened?"

Azula linked her arm into his decisively. "On the contrary, Sokka! An airship ride's a great idea. I'll give you a guided tour of Capital City. Let's begin with the Temple of Agni."

* * *

"Wow. You're saying that you could turn that fire blue by using your own flames?"

Sokka stared at the huge burning cauldron, duly impressed. Bright orange and yellow flames rose up towards the high domed ceiling, reflecting in the intricately gilded patterns there.

Azula shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I did it, once. But that's when I was here to visit the Oracle of Agni. I'm sure you haven't forgotten my vision, Great Sage Shyu?" She shot the bearded Elder a penetrating stare.

The venerable Fire Sage paled visibly underneath his peaked headdress. "Of course not, Princess Azula. I am aware of the, ah… s _ignificant_ meaning of your vision. Still, I am the current Fire Lord's loyal servant in all matters."

A minute frown from black winged eyebrows. "Is that so, Great Sage Shyu? Well, according to Zuko himself, you just committed an act of unacceptable insubordination. He claims that you're being deliberately obstructive as regards the Royal wedding. _My_ wedding, Great Sage Shyu! The one that we've been planning and rehearsing for the past three months. The one to which hundreds of important representatives of the Four Nations have been invited to attend. All because an old piece of jewellery's gone missing. Seriously, Sage Shyu! Are you by any chance attempting to cause world conflict here? Or are you just causing trouble in order for people to take notice of you?"

The menacing tone made the old man start. Looking around himself cautiously, he quickly herded the Princess and her betrothed into his private office.

"Please, Princess! Kindly attempt to understand my position. There hasn't been a Royal marriage in the last 5000 years where the ruling Fire Lord hasn't worn the Phoenix Crown. Yes, I'm aware that over time, the crown has been mended and restored several times. Still, the main original shape and material remains. It really is a priceless artefact. But also, it is so much more. It's an important symbol of Fire Nation culture, religion and traditions. In fact, it contains the essence of Fire Nation beliefs. As such, it is a priceless symbol of the spiritual values that this marriage ceremony will impart. In fact, I'd say its presence is of far greater importance than that of the Fire Lord himself. The Phoenix Crown holds the embodiment of the Spirit of Agni. It is a symbol of transcendent fire. The kind of fire that I'm responsible for calling down to bless your marriage, Princess!"

Sokka frowned. "So, you're saying that it needs to be present in order for the Fire Lord to give his blessing to our marriage? And if it isn't, the assembled guests won't accept the wedding ceremony as legit? Why, that puts its disappearance in a whole new light, doesn't it, Azula? That means that whoever stole it wasn't just after it for the gold or the collector value. They likely wanted to put the kibosh on our wedding. Maybe even cause a rift between our nations."

Azula drew a deep breath. Then, she exhaled audibly. The terrifying gleam in her bright gold eyes toned down somewhat. Regarding her, Great Sage Shyu relaxed visibly. The trembling of his hands died down.

"Yes! Princess, I swear that it isn't my deliberate intention to put a stop to your wedding. I just don't see how it could be performed properly without the Fire Lord wearing the Phoenix Crown."

"All right. I must admit that line of reasoning makes sense. Good thinking, Sokka! Fire Sage Shyu, this is why I've chosen this snow savage as my husband to be. He's marginally smarter than everyone else out there. All right, Lord Sokka! What do you propose we do?"

He flashed her a cheeky smile. "Don't forget infinitely more handsome than any other male you have ever encountered! Well Azula, I think we need to conduct a proper investigation here. Let's go visit the Royal Goldsmith's. That's where the Phoenix Crown was last seen, isn't it?"

Azula sighed and nodded. "Yes, Sokka. That makes sense." She rose and directed a penetrating stare at the Great Sage. "Great Sage Shyu. My betrothed and I are setting out to locate the Phoenix Crown. In the meantime, I expect you to proceed with the preparations for the wedding ceremony according to plan. First, the major ceremony here in the temple at noon tomorrow. Then, the reception ceremony at the Royal Gardens. Is that understood?"

Standing to attention, the venerable Great Sage nodded automatically. "Yes, Princess Azula. All according to plan."

As the door shut behind the exiting young couple, he raised his hands to cover his face. The trembling had resumed.

* * *

The Royal Goldsmith's workshop was located in the Northern parts of Harbour Town, quite far from the exclusive showroom in Caldera where Azula and Sokka had started out their investigation. This part of Capital City consisted of dark narrow streets and alleys crossing and joining at irrational angles, surrounded by tall rickety buildings that obscured the sun and threatened to collapse into the street at any moment. The streets were a mixture of ancient rounded cobblestones and pure stomped earth, flattened and compacted by hundreds of thousands of feet. The maze-like construction of the place, along with the lack of vision of the sky above them, made Azula's sense of direction start to spin. Draped in her long hooded black cloak, she still felt overdressed compared to the drab outfits of the males and females lounging about or scurrying down the narrow alleyways.

"Is this just my mind, or is this place specifically constructed to confuse you? I mean, it looks like we've been down this very street three times already."

Next to her, Sokka suppressed a smile. "That's a very clever observation, Azula. Master Piandao once told me that core parts of Harbour Town were constructed to confound and confuse agents of the Police and State authorities. This place is specifically designed to make you lose your way, unless you know exactly where you're going beforehand. All clues have been deliberately omitted and obscured. You really need to be born and bred here to be able to find your way around. It's natural to feel disoriented. This place was built to make outsiders feel that way."

"Charming."

Grumbling, Azula pulled her hood down further to obscure her face. As they rounded another unexpected corner without the precariously towering structure above collapsing on them, she noted the thirtyseventh incident of street crime that she'd seen since they entered this part of town taking place somewhere in the left part of her field of vision. Ignoring it studiously, she stared straight ahead to focus on some indeterminate place ten or twenty metres ahead in the distance. Underneath the hood, her face was completely neutral and expressionless. Shooting her a quick glance, Sokka smiled wryly in amusement.

"You're learning the codes, Azula. Anyway, anyone would be a fool to take you on. Believe me, in a place like this, your firebending couldn't come in handier. But in case you're scared, I've got Space Sword right here to protect us."

Ignoring her offended snort, he looked down to consult a scribbled note with an improvised sketch and near illegible instructions. "Ok, here we are. Dragonbone Lane's just across the road. Come on."

He grabbed Azula's hand abruptly to pull her into an even narrower and darker side street, so small as to be virtually nonexistent. Azula was fairly sure that this had never made it onto any map, official or otherwise. Hauling open something that resembled the door to a local privy or tool shed, Sokka indicated that she should move forward. After a few meters in near darkness, they came upon a massive metal plated wall.

"Great. Now what?"

"Patience, Princess. Hang on. I need to find the code that the sales staff gave us."

Azula could sense his annoying half smile in the darkness. For some obscure reason, her Water Tribe lover seemed inordinately confident and able to hold his own in these dark alleys, much more so than in the broad, clean avenues of luxurious Caldera. A creature of fire and light, she wasn't overly skilled at seeing in the dark. However, she could sense Sokka punching in a sequence in some kind of panel to the left. Miraculously, the solid dark metal wall slid away to bare a narrow, unimpressive, rickety staircase. Azula shot her betrothed a significant glance. Impervious to glances, or maybe just affected by the excitement of the search, the Water Tribe warrior shrugged and gestured with his hand as if inviting Azula to enter a gloriously splendid ballroom.

"After you, Princess. According to the sales staff, the workshop is located on the third floor."

The giant male who opened the nondescript door wasn't just armed, but obviously a Firebender. Also, he wouldn't let them enter until having conducted a conversation with them through a door hatch covered by a metal grid. Inviting them into the workshop, he led them past several workstations where goldsmiths hammered, welded and plied away at precious objects. Finally, he knocked on a door to introduce them to a slender, elegant man in his middle age. At the sight of the Fire Nation Princess, shrouded in a hooded cloak and accompanied by a tall young male with a Water Tribe look about him, he rose from his desk to hurry forward.

"Princess Azula! And…?"

"Lord Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe. My betrothed."

Azula swept into the tiny office to occupy a leather armchair. With a shrug, Sokka sunk down into an adjoining one.

"I'm Onzu Tan, manager of the Royal Goldsmith's workshop. How may I be of service? Maybe some refreshments-"

Azula's gesture cut him short. "Don't bother. We're here on behalf of the Fire Lord. He wants to know what the fuck you've done with the Phoenix Crown. Don't try to slither out of this. I want to know the truth."

The manager blanched significantly. "P… Princess Azula… I'm sure that the staff at our Caldera showroom have submitted a report to Fire Lord Zuko…"

"Yes, thank you very much. All full of polite excuses, and not a trace of tangible facts. Now, quit stalling. I want to know what happened. Tell me all."

Next to her, Sokka was inspecting the scabbard of his sword, checking it for specks of dust or fingerprints that would mar the perfect shine. Reaching out, he grabbed a silk napkin from the manager's office, causing uncut gems to spill out on the desk.

"Do you mind? Thank you." Sokka started polishing the handle of his sword vigorously. The manager took a deep breath and wiped beads of cold sweat from his brow.

" P… Princess Azula. Lord Sokka. I… I don't know what to say. I… I mean, only yesterday a representative of the Fire Lord came to retrieve the Phoenix Crown after its restoration. We'd kept it in a special compartment of our main safe." He gestured, indicating a massive metal construction, composed of smaller compartments, set straight into the office wall on his right hand side.

"I myself was present at the time. I'd been there in person when the… ah, _object_ in question was checked in for repair and restoration three months ago. When the goldsmith in charge presented me with the finished work, I checked the result and signed the forms of approval myself. I watched as it was packaged in the Royal Family's personal safety box. Yet, when the envoy came to sign for it yesterday morning, it wasn't there."

He dabbed at his brow with a silk kerchief.

"Somebody removed it beforehand. Have you interrogated all of your employees?" Azula's voice was sharp.

"Yes. They all tell the same story. Late at night three days ago, just before closing time, another envoy of the Fire Lord's turned up to sign the item out. A female. Cloaked, well spoken. None of my employees managed to get a proper look at her face. I'm so sorry! It would seem that since everyone was leaving for the day, they just took her signature and accepted the fact that she showed them the Fire Lord's seal of identification. She checked the item out and left. I am so very, very sorry!"

Sokka frowned. "A woman in a cloak? What colour? How tall was she? Did she have an accent? Young or old? And did they check the registry code on the Fire Lord's seal?"

The manager shook his head in agonized embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Lord Sokka! If I'd been present, I would have checked the registry code of that seal myself, but I'd already left for the day. My remaining employees were all on the verge of leaving. So, they forgot. The one that saw it judged it to be genuine. He's very experienced, so I have no reason to doubt his word."

"And the woman?" Azula's voice was a sharp as a whiplash.

"Wearing a dark cloak, much as your own, Princess. Some of my employees say that she was of above average height. Others say average. Young rather than old. They all agree that… Well, something about her made them trust her implicitly."

Azula tapped her lips pensively. "Hm. So either authority or charm. No way of telling which. Did she have an accent of any kind?"

The manager shrugged helplessly. "I've no idea, Princess! The staff member who spoke the most to her just said she had a pleasant voice. That's all, I'm afraid."

Azula and Sokka exchanged a glance. Rising from her seat, Azula nodded pointedly at the manager.

"Thank you, Manager Tan. We have no further questions. You may expect to hear from Fire Lord Zuko on this matter in the future. Excuse me? Oh, what you'll hear will of course be dependent on whether the Phoenix Crown is located or not. However, you may expect a call to update your security routines. That will be all for now."

Leaving the manager sweating profusely, the Princess and her Water Tribe warrior swept out of the room.

* * *

"Sokka! How's my favourite groom? And how was the South Pole? Freezing as usual, I bet! Suki and I heard that you'd just returned!"

Sokka attempted to pry Ty Lee's arms from his neck somewhat futilely. Spirits, she was strong! He'd always managed to misjudge her sheer physical strength. Pulling her off him with some effort, he attempted a cheerful and entirely false smile.

"Yep, decidedly cold and frosty. Snow and ice rate 100 %. It was great to return home, and it's even better to be back here! Now, how are my two favourite girls?"

Ignoring Suki's sullen glare at her former boyfriend, Ty Lee linked her arm in Sokka's and proceeded to steer him towards their private rooms. He'd caught up with the two Kyoshi guards just as they emerged from the combined baths and changing rooms belonging to the Palace Sparring Grounds.

"Oh, we're both enjoying ourselves! Suki's been spending a lot of time with the Fire Lord lately. Haven't you, sweetie? Oh, don't hang back! Sokka's joining us for lunch, aren't you?"

Stomach growling, Sokka nodded enthusiastically. Yes, the airship journey through Capital City had made him decidedly peckish.

"Don't mind if I do, girls. Aw, come on Suki! You're hungry too, aren't you?" He shot her a jovial grin, all the while watching her reaction carefully.

Her expression was as sweetly neutral as ever. "Yes I am, Sokka. If you like, you may join Ty Lee and me for lunch. I swear I'll never be able to get used to having personally cooked meals served in my own private Palace suite!"

With one girl linked to each of his arms, Sokka proceeded up the stairs of the Royal Palace. On leaving Harbour Town, Azula and he had decided that the best way to proceed onward would be to part ways and conduct their investigation separately. That would be much less likely to evoke suspicion or defensive reactions from the suspects.

"So, how's the prospective husband? I swear, with all the security arrangements for your wedding, Suki and I have barely been able to get five hours of sleep per night! Zuko certainly keeps us on our toes. But you may safely trust me, Sokka! We've got you covered for the whole day tomorrow. Except during the wedding night, of course. I'm afraid we won't be able to protect you during that."

Sokka grinned. "Oh, I'll just put my hide at risk then. Better get used to married life, won't I? Besides, I already spent two months with Azula down at the South Pole. No problem."

"Oh. Well, that's great." Suki regarded him noncommittally, then turned her violet eyes away.

"Well, it's your skin and sanity, Sokka! If you want to put it on the line, why fine, just go ahead! Just give us a holler if you feel at risk from The Monster. Oh, sorry. Just joking. I know you guys are in love and all."

 _Whew. It's lucky that Azula and I decided to split and divide these interrogations between us. I don't think I could manage handling a catfight between these three._

He shot his betrothed's faithless former friend a sincere blue-eyed look. "We're both lucky to have you protecting us, Ty! It certainly makes me feel that much safer. But what about Zuko? I mean, I heard some rather alarming news this morning. Is it true that the Phoenix Crown's been stolen?"

Suki sighed, looking genuinely worried. "Yes, I'm afraid so, Sokka! Zuko's really upset. He's assigned the two of us to retrieving it. But I mean, there simply aren't any leads! Anyone could have done it. Couldn't they, Ty? I mean, the crown's ancient and invaluable. Right now, it's probably on its way to some rich collector in the Earth Kingdom or something. Don't you agree, Ty?"

Her friend nodded. "Yes. Of course, we'll do all we can to retrieve it, for Zuko's sake. He seems to think that the loss of it will undermine his position of authority or something. I mean, in the eyes of foreign rulers. Personally, I think that's just a load of bull. Zuko's just so damn neurotic. Once he gets more used to being the Fire Nation ruler, he'll get a bit more relaxed about stuff like this. I mean, it could be a good thing for him to get his own custom made crown, that wasn't worn by his ancestors before him. Kind of sending a message about his reign creating a new path." She shrugged. "Still, of course we can't allow that crown to fall into the wrong hands. So, right after the wedding Suki and I are setting out to search the Earth Kingdom for it. Aang and Toph will be aiding us. In fact, it'll be an adventure just like in the old days, won't it Suki! Care to come along, Sokka?"

He couldn't help but grin. No, Ty Lee was just too bad a liar to be able to pull off an act like this. And Suki had always been an open book to him. While clearly still being somewhat hurt and resentful about his breaking up with her to marry someone else, she still didn't have it in her to pull off an elaborate coup like stealing the Phoenix Crown from her current employer.

"Why, it sure sounds fun, Ty Lee! But come tomorrow, I will be a married man. I won't be able to accompany you unless Azula agrees to come along. Sorry, girls!"

As the two Kyoshi warriors exchanged glances, he shot them a cheerful smile and rose. "Thanks for luncheon. I'll see the two of you at dinner. Nothing beats the Fire Lord's table!"

* * *

The salon looked just like she remembered it. Luxurious and comfortable, with cream coloured walls and furnishings in cherry wood and rich deep reds. There was also an entire wall consisting of tall windows that allowed sunlight to flood into the room and opened out onto a spacious balcony with wrought iron railings. As the tall thin young woman leaned forward to pour Azula a cup of fragrant tea, golden lattices of sunlight illuminated her slender frame and raven hair.

"This is an unexpected visit, Azula. How have you been? Of course, I heard that you were engaged to be married. To Sokka, no less. Of course, I predicted as much."

Azula set the exquisitely painted cup down on its saucer with a tiny bang. "You predicted it, Mai? Based on what, may I ask?"

With her glossy black hair in her old signature hairstyle with bangs and oxtails, Mai looked just the same as she had five years ago, when she betrayed her lifelong friend in favour of her brother. Except there was a difference. Dressed in a light sleeveless summer dress of navy blue silk, with a tight bodice and flared skirt, topped by a short vest of red brocade edged with black fur, Mai not only looked shockingly young and pretty. She looked _happy_. Radiantly so. In all the years that had passed, Azula had never witnessed her former friend's countenance expressing anything but her usual deadpan stoicism in the face of life's events. Something must have happened. Something crucial. Azula couldn't even begin to fathom what.

Mai shot her former friend a funny little smile. "Oh, it was always kind of obvious, wasn't it? The way the two of you would focus on each other whenever we did battle and forget about everyone else, the way you'd talk about each other when the other party wasn't there…"

Azula gave an indignant start. "I certainly did nothing of the sort! Talk about that snow savage, I mean!"

A poignant stare out of long obsidian eyes. "Maybe you didn't, Azula. But Sokka certainly did."

"Oh." Speechless for once, the Fire Nation Princess sipped her tea.

"So, what brings you here, Azula? I mean, I did receive an invitation to the wedding and I plan to go. But to be frank I figured that was Zuko's doing and not yours."

Azula floundered momentarily. It took her a moment to recollect the conclusion that five years of psychotherapy had brought her about Mai's and her smashed friendship. She took a deep breath, centred herself and plunged ahead.

"Of course, I've harboured much resentment towards you, Mai. I will admit it freely. Still, I've come to the realization that you did it out of love for Zuko. I mean, I guess there's no accounting for taste."

A quick exchange of glances. Mai regarded her with her deadpan, frozen stare. Then, unexpectedly she burst out laughing.

"No, I guess not, Azula! Well, I fell in love with Zuko when we were all just kids. Five years ago, I felt like he was all I'd ever wanted. The one who'd change my life for the better, the only one who'd ever mattered. But things didn't turn out the way that I'd expected. I won't bore you with the details, Azula, but… Well, I thought that he was all I needed to be happy. But then, I wasn't. Happy, I mean. After the war, everything just remained the same. So, we fell apart. It's hard to explain. I met somebody else. Except…" She bit her lip and stared out into the distance.

Azula's yellow eyes sharpened. "He told me that you have a new boyfriend. Someone called Kei Lo."

Mai nodded imperceptibly. Only to freeze and shake her head. "Yes Azula, that's true. But… But no, I mean. Kei Lo and I have broken up. I thought he was the one for me. Except I was mistaken."

The focus in Azula's eyes intensified. "You're attending the wedding tomorrow, aren't you, Mai? Who will escort you there?"

The girl shrugged listlessly. "Oh, you should ask my parents, I guess. My mother's arranged for some nobleman to escort me. I've forgotten his name." Suddenly, all the energy seemed to have drained out of her. Azula, on the other hand, had regained her focus.

"But Zuko will be there, won't he?"

Mai started violently and set her teacup down. The long black bangs fell down to shade her eyes from view.

"Yes. Yes, he'll be there, Azula. I… I don't know…." Her voice trailed off into silence.

Azula leaned back into the silk brocade sofa. "He'll be there, Mai. Except not in the position as Fire Lord. The Phoenix Crown's gone, Mai. So, Zuko won't be able to represent the Fire Nation properly."

" _What!?"_ The girl's obsidian eyes widened significantly. She started violently, almost bounding out of the sofa.

"What happened, Azula? Did you have anything to do with it!?"

Azula relaxed back further in the sofa to regard her former friend. No. No, that kind of reaction just couldn't be faked. In fact, it told her a lot more than she wanted to know. All right, so initially Mai had been her main suspect. Not only was she resentful and prone to holding a grudge, but she also had a long story of unresolved feelings for and conflicts with the Fire Lord. She was also smart and deadpan enough to be able to locate all relevant information and pull the theft of the Phoenix Crown off. Except clearly, she wasn't that deadpan after all. And her main feeling for Zuko obviously wasn't resentment.

"Simmer down, Mai. I'm attempting to help him locate it. Believe me, having the Phoenix Crown go missing and Dum-Dum's authority questioned by leaders of the other nations is the last thing that I want. In fact, it might put the entire wedding at risk. I need to locate that crown before noon tomorrow. Zuko needs to wear it when he appears at the Temple of Agni to assist in giving me away to Sokka. Otherwise, no one will consider the ceremony legit and binding. That's the last thing I want, Mai. Believe me."

The former Governor Ukano's daughter took a deep breath and examined the Princess closely. The seconds ticked past. Then, she nodded decisively and let out her breath in visible relief. "All right, Azula! I believe you. I think you really love Sokka and have a genuine desire to marry him. That's good. But then, who could have stolen the Phoenix Crown? And why? Are you sure it wasn't just for gain?"

Azula shook her head slowly. "No, Mai. The manager of the Royal Goldsmith's workshop told Sokka and me that the person who tricked them to release the crown to them was female. Sokka and I discussed it. We're both sure that it's someone who knows Zuko. Someone who knows him well."

Mai's eyes widened. "You… You mean that you suspected it was _me?_ But… Oh, come on, Azula! Surely you don't think I'd… I mean, I know the significance that the Phoenix Crown holds for Zuko! His honour, his entire sense of self-esteem, his being worthy, his whole ancestral heritage… Oh, Azula! I know you never doubted yourself that way. But Zuko does. That's why the crown is so important to him. Well, I may have been angry with him. He may have disappointed me at times. Yes, I broke up with him, because I didn't know how to cope with all his issues. But… Azula believe me! I'd never do a thing like that to him!"

Azula nodded slowly. "No, Mai. I believe you. I guess you wouldn't."

Underneath the black bangs, the long obsidian eyes narrowed further. "Ah. But Azula… I know someone who would."

* * *

Sokka tapped the door softly. No response. He repeated the movement, somewhat sharper this time. Still, nothing happened. With a deep sigh, he turned the handle and opened the door stealthily.

She was sitting in front of the dressing table mirror in her bedroom, her long dark hair spilling down bare shoulders. His eyes took in an unfamiliar outfit, consisting of a long low-slung red skirt that left her midriff bare and a matching red bralet top. She was tugging at the single shoulder strap, attempting to adjust it. The dark red choker with its gold pendant reminded him of the betrothal necklace that he'd crafted for Azula. Except this was no betrothal choker. This was a Fire Nation bridesmaid's outfit, and clearly his sister was feeling uncomfortable in it.

"Katara? I… I'm sorry to disturb you! I realize you must be trying out your outfit for tomorrow. It looks absolutely great, you know that? I mean, red really becomes you. Yes, I mean it! And… Wow, what happened to your hair!?"

She gave a tiny gasp and turned to face him.

"Sokka! Spirits, you gave me the scare of my life! What's this, sneaking up on people like that! Don't you ever knock?"

He backed off defensively. "You know, I _did_ actually knock! Several times, as a matter of fact. You must have been too busy to notice."

"Well, as you can see I _am_ busy! Trying out this ridiculous Fire Nation outfit that your _bride to be_ has selected for me." She shook her head vehemently and resumed tugging at the tiny red top, apparently in a futile effort to remould its shape and fit.

Sokka frowned. "That's actually a very nice looking getup, Katara! In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing Azula wearing something similar. She sure can pull off those little tops that bare… well, never mind." He raised his hands placatingly. "Anyway, that looks really good on you, sis. Anyone can tell you've lost a lot of weight."

Katara's large blue eyes widened significantly. She raised her hands to point them threateningly at him. Then, she caught her reflection in the mirror to stare at it dubiously.

"You think? I mean, Fire Nation food is just the worst. So good, and yet so damaging. And the fashion here is just embarrassingly revealing. I'm afraid that I'll be making a proper fool of myself wearing this tomorrow. Imagine father and all our relatives seeing me dressed like this! I… I look like a Fire Nation floozy!" She adjusted a gold upper arm bracelet with a comical grimace of distaste.

Sokka hid his smile behind his hand. "If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it, Katara! Just try to get used to it. In fact, you look really good. Just shut your ears to any comment of Gran Gran's. I mean, I doubt she'll care about everyone being able to see your belly button. She might get pesky about your getting rid of the monkey swings, though!"

"My _what_!?" Katara's bare dusky arms flew up to her head automatically. "Oh, you mean my loopies? Yes, that's kind of tough. I've had them since I was 3, Sokka. And this new hairstyle…" She touched the half topknot and shook her head in bafflement. "It's… It's just so … so _Fire Nation_!"

Sokka approached his sister cautiously to stand behind her, facing their joint images in the mirror. Taking her hands in a firm clasp, he removed them from her head to twine his fingers with hers. His voice was low and soothing.

"Listen, Katara! You look really great. Very pretty. Now, I know that Aang and Toph will be there at the wedding tomorrow. Yes, I suppose they'll go together. But do you know what? I bet once he sees you, he'll regret his decision to break up with you. But whether he does or he doesn't, that's no problem of yours. You don't need to bother. Because you'll be the prettiest out of the all the bridesmaids and all the female guests."

"Yes. And the bride will be the prettiest of all." The sharp note of her voice was unusual enough to make him start. Still. Sokka held on to her dusky shoulders, massaging them in smooth soothing movements.

"Well yes, Katara! She most certainly will be. At least in my eyes. I mean, Azula's my bride! I chose her, and she chose me. By this time tomorrow night, we'll be husband and wife. So yeah, of course I think she's the most beautiful woman in the Four Nations. And you… someday soon, you'll find someone who'll think the same of you, Katara!"

She shook her head ruefully. "You're such a fool, Sokka! You're marrying a madwoman. Ok, so I agree she's beautiful. But she's also a violent criminal. Just look at what she did to Aang! She attempted to kill both me and Zuko. And before you say she's changed due to the treatment at The Facility, I'd like to remind you that she stole and tried to torch my letter. I'm warning you, Sokka! If you marry Azula, your life might soon be at an end!"

He froze. The image in the mirror reflected his stricken expression. Still, he kept attempting to get through to her.

"Katara! Come on, you know that isn't true! Aang forgave Azula a long time ago. She even told him she was sorry, although I'll admit she blamed it on being a soldier acting on orders issued by her High Commander. Still, I believe that's exactly what she did. She's certainly loyal to me. I have absolute faith in her, Katara. You needn't worry."

She was shaking her head, picking restlessly at her red skirt with long limber Waterbender fingers.

"No! But, but Sokka! Don't you see? Ok, so Azula may genuinely care for you, even though I doubt it. She may not be a threat to you. But what about everyone else? What about us? What about…"

"I know it must be hard to admit that she defeated you in that sparring match, Katara! But that just means that the two of you are even. Evenly matched, equally strong. You defeated Azula five years ago. She took you down three months ago. So what? In fact, I think that's awesome! It means that the two of you can sparr together and use one another's strength in order to develop your fighting skills further. Consider it, Katara! Wouldn't that be the… Hey, what did you say?"

"I said, what about Zuko?" The restless movements of her fingers kept increasing.

He frowned. "What about him?"

Her hands clenched into fists. "Don't you see, Sokka? Since Zuko is the current Fire Lord, he will be Azula's prime target. Believe me, she won't rest until he's out of the way. I'm just worried about him, that's all!"

Sokka stiffened. Reaching out to clasp his sister's hands in his again, he claimed her blue gaze in the mirror.

"Listen, Katara! I can tell you care about Zuko. That's a good thing. But Zuko isn't Aang. The situation's entirely different. In fact, Azula's trying to protect him and facilitate his rule. Rather like you do, Katara! No, she won't harm him. In fact, the two of you share the same goals. You're way more similar than you think, Katara!"

She shook her head violently. "No! No, Sokka! Azula and I are as different as two people can possibly get. We have absolutely nothing in common. As for Zuko… Well I believe it is my calling to protect him. It's my…"

Sokka's grasp on her hands tightened. "What's in the top drawer of your dresser, Katara? I saw you tucking something in there and shutting it quickly when I entered."

She started violently. "There's… There's nothing at all in there, Sokka! I mean, you must be mistaken."

He released her hands suddenly to reach forward and pounce, pulling out the top drawer before Katara could intervene.

The spiky gold object gleamed in the soft torch lighting.

" _Ah-ha!_ The Phoenix Crown! Just as I suspected. I'm sorry Katara, but you're going to have to return it to its rightful owner. Or as a matter of fact, I'll spare you the inconvenience. I'll return this to Zuko myself."

"I… I've no idea how that got in there, Sokka! One of the servants must have planted it. You know how these Fire Nation people are!"

Her hand snaked out to pry the ancient gold artefact from his hands, almost as if she was acting in spite of herself. She held it in both hands for a moment, staring down at it in what looked like an odd act of worship. Then, she just crumpled and bent, sobbing hysterically, cradling the Phoenix Crown in her hands. Sokka knelt by her side and embraced her, whispering soothing words of comfort in her ear, stroking her new Fire Nation hairstyle.

"There, there, Katara! Come on, everything will be all right! We're right here and we're safe, aren't we? The war's all over. Everyone is happy. Now please, won't you just join in and celebrate my marriage? Please, for my sake? And for your own as well? I mean, you deserve to be happy! More so than any of us!"

She was fighting to stifle her sobs, tears running down her cheeks. Her fingers were at work, gently unlatching black strands of hair from the ancient crown.

"Look… Look at this, Sokka! His hair has gotten tangled everywhere! Can you imagine the pain of having it pulled out? Oh, Sokka!" She collapsed in another bout of sobbing, covering her face in her hands.

Sokka pried the Phoenix Crown from her hands gently. "Yes, Katara. I imagine wearing something like this might be painful. But that's Zuko's fate to deal with. If you want to make things easier on him, why sure. I'm certain that having you around is a great help to him. Just don't do anything foolish, Katara! I have no idea where Zuko's feelings are at. There seems to be loads of females orbiting like satellites around him. Don't get pulled in, ok? You are like the Comet. Strong and blazing. You've got your own trajectory."

Katara was sitting up, wiping the tears from her face and blowing her nose in a silk handkerchief. The act of regaining composure was unusually quick. Then again, she'd always cried easily and been just as quick to recover. Large blue eyes, slightly reddened, met his in the mirror.

"Sokka? Please promise me you won't tell anyone about this. I mean, I don't know what got over me! I… I just wanted to…"

Wrapping the Phoenix Crown up securely to stash it in his tunic pocket, Sokka shook his head reassuringly.

"You wanted things to return to the way they used to be. And in the process, you almost jinxed my wedding and caused the Fire Lord to loose his throne. Oh, come on, Katara! I'm just kidding. There's no harm done. Now, go to bed and get some proper sleep. Then, get up in the morning and show everyone that Water Tribe girls make the most amazing bridesmaids that there ever was."

"You… You won't tell anyone?"

He shook his head. "Of course I won't, Katara! Weddings make everyone go a tiny bit crazy. Mine and Azula's in particular, it would seem! Code red for silence, sister! I'll return the crown to Zuko right this minute and tell him a servant located it in a laundry basket or something. Don't worry, ok?"

He leaned down to give her a warm hug, kissing her cheek. As he exited her rooms and shut the door closely behind him, he shook his head. Of course, the Fire Lord would get his crown back in the morning. But first, Sokka wanted to enact something that he'd always fantasized about. As he imagined Azula, naked and spread out on the bed before him, with the Phoenix Crown securely attached to her black topknot, a broad smile spread over his features. He set out towards the Princess's suite, hurrying his steps.

* * *

"And with that, I declare that you are now and henceforth man and wife. May Agni bless this union."

Great Sage Shyu spread his hands wide in a gesture addressing the God of Fire. Behind him, the flames of the Cauldron of Agni flared up as if on cue. Probably a trick managed by means of increasing either the amount of oxygen surrounding it or the level of heat. Still, Sokka appreciated the dramatic flair. His eyes turned to the young woman whose hands were entwined with his. The red silk wedding dress was of a traditional cut, except sleeveless and with a deep V neckline that put her cleavage on scandalous display. Her glossy black hair was parted in the centre and piled up in the traditional roundish, blown out bridal hairstyle, decorated with gold and jewelled ornaments that gleamed in the firelight. Noting the conspicuous absence of crowns of any kind, he embraced her tightly and met her glowing yellow gaze.

"So, snow savage. It would seem that all's well that ends well."

"Indeed, Princess. Now, let's just go out and conquer life. Together."

Great Sage Shyu nodded benevolently.

"You may now kiss the bride."

As their lips met, the flames of the Cauldron of Agni flared up into a thousand sparks. Or maybe it was just all in their minds. Who cared? Finally, they were truly together.

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
